20 April 2020

Devotional Notes Psalm 121+John 9

Blogging will be rather sporadic as we are selling the house and moving.

MORNING

Psalm 121
B1 What does this mean?
C1 No matter where we look for help and comfort, the only true, lasting help and hope come from Yahweh.
C2 Clarke comments on verse 3: The foundation, God's infinite power and goodness, on which thou standest, cannot be moved; and whilst thou standest on this basis, thy foot cannot be moved.
C3 God does not sleep or take a nap.
C4 God is our keeper (the good shepherd).
C5 God keeps our soul/life safe. Our flesh may die or be killed but the soul is safe to those who trust God. Matthew 10:28 EMTV And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
C6 Since God does not die or defeated in any battle, He can keep our soul safe forever and ever.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? Thank you, O Lord.

EVENING

John 9
B1 What does this mean?
C1 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
D1 Sad to see that at that time it was common to believe that if you were healthy and rich, then God was blessing them. It was a sign. Still today, people believe this. Jesus clarifies, by stating, “Neither this man or his parents sinned, on the contrary [it was] that the works of God might be made evident in him.”
D2 Jesus proves that statement by healing the man. Note how Jesus deals with individuals individually.
C2 Jewish Leaders Question the Healed Man
D1 Even though the religious leaders knew of many miracles, they still question it. Some teach that if there are many miracles, many will believe, but often miracles do not do that. God still heals.
D2 Verse 16 “…does not comply with the Sabbath...” refers to their rules not Gods.
D3 Verse 27, the man realizes that they don’t believe or Jesus.
D4 Verse 34, note the arrogance or love of power/authority. It seems that they considered themselves to not have been born in sins. Yet, Psalms 51:5 GW Indeed, I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.
C3 The Healed Man Believes and Worships Jesus
D1 Verse 35, the Jews understood the term “Son of God” to refer to Messiah. See: John 10:36-39 NLT why do you call it blasphemy when I say, 'I am the Son of God'? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. 37 Don't believe me unless I carry out my Father's work. 38 But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don't believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father." 39 Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them.
D2 Barclay (beware) writes:

(i) Jesus looked for the man. As Chrysostom put it: "The Jews cast him out of the Temple; the Lord of the Temple found him." If any man's Christian witness separates him from his fellow-men, it brings him nearer to Jesus Christ. Jesus is always true to the man who is true to him.

(ii) To this man there was made the great revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. Loyalty always brings revelation; it is to the man who is true to him that Jesus most fully reveals himself. The penalty of loyalty may well be persecution and ostracism at the hands of men; its reward is a closer walk with Christ, and an increasing knowledge of his wonder.
D3 Verse 38, there is no such thing as needing to say the sinner’s prayer. Note this man’s prayer, “Lord, I believe.” The proof? “And he worshiped Him.”
D4 The Amplified Version clarifies verse 39: The Amplified Bible Then Jesus said, I came into this world for judgment [as a Separator, in order that there may be separation between those who believe on Me and those who reject Me], to make the sightless see and to make those who see become blind.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? Lord, your ways are true, just, and faithful. Thank you.

I hope to have a devotional every day on John’s Gospel starting with the last chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This is the way I do my devotions. You may notice grammatical and spelling errors. It is my hope you will also start or continue in your daily reading and thinking about the Scriptures. I do this Monday through Friday. It is a 3 year plan of reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the Old Testament, which takes 3 years, and reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the New Testament once a year for a total of 3 times. So, I read through the Old Testament 1 time and the New Testament 3 times over a period of 3 years. I do this Monday through Friday and use Saturday and Sunday for other devotions.

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